Local News

In the race to fill the vacancy in the Virginia House of Delegates 6th District left by the retiring Anne B. Crockett-Stark, three candidates will appear on the ballot Nov. 5 in the Twin Counties.
The candidates seeking to become the next representative for Carroll, Smyth and Wythe counties are Democrat Jonathan Lee McGrady of Hillsville, Republican Jeffrey L. Campbell of Saltville and independent Barbara T. Hall of Marion.

HILLSVILLE — After keeping a low profile for months, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office tactical team arrived on the scene when assisting at a recent Galax drug bust.
Though this is the first time the team has been noticed publicly in a law enforcement situation, leader Seth Greer — also a sheriff’s office investigator — said the eight members trained for about a year before going to work in March.
The goal is to keep the community and officers in the commission of their duty safe, Greer explained.

HILLSVILLE — The Carroll School Board’s recent split vote on turning the former Woodlawn School building over to the county has prompted the Carroll County Board of Supervisors to postpone a final decision on the facility’s fate.
At the county board meeting on Oct. 21, supervisor Joshua Hendrick brought up the recent vote in which two of the five school board members voted against giving Woodlawn School to the county.

HILLSVILLE — Classic Creations Screen Printing will create 55 jobs and invest $1.4 million in a facility in Carroll County Industrial Park, according to a Tuesday announcement by CEO Keith Sanders.
In a crowded board of supervisors room, Sanders noted that he chose Hillsville and Carroll County as the location for his startup business due to the quality workforce that’s available here and the help he’s gotten from local and state representatives over the last 14 months.

HILLSVILLE — A Carroll County Board of Supervisors member has rescinded a motion that he made in July to vacate a plat belonging to Fancy Gap resident who wanted to make changes to his RV retreat property.
Property owner Stephen Gregson appeared at the Oct. 21 supervisors’ meeting to discuss the matter, noting that his attorney had begun a discussion with County Attorney Jim Cornwell about the matter.

The Galax Volunteer Fire Department was called to a structure fire in Baywood on Monday evening.
According to a report from Fire Chief David Hankley, the department heard the call to 1465 Cold Spring Lane at approximately 9:30 p.m. On arrival, firefighters found a single-story residence with fire consuming half of the building.

INDEPENDENCE — The Historic 1908 Courthouse in Independence was the site of the final public forum for what could be a historically large candidate pool for the Nov. 5 general election in Grayson County.
During the event, which was sponsored by the Twin County Regional Chamber of Commerce, 13 of the 14 total candidates running for the offices of Grayson County Board of Supervisors, school board and treasurer made statements and answered questions anonymously submitted from citizens of the county, as well as questions from the audience.

HILLSVILLE — Debate over the Fancy Gap sewer project continued on Monday, when Fancy Gap citizen Stephen Gregson again challenged the Carroll County Public Service Authority and chairman Tom Littrell, claiming that the project was improperly bid and benefits a county official.

Blue Ridge Parkway managers announced in a news release on Thursday that park operations are once again open and available to visitors. Visitors can access all facilities, campgrounds, and other public services that were open prior to October 1, when operations closed due to the lapse in Congressional appropriations.